The Call: Everything to know ahead of Gophers at Oregon

Time: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Autzen Stadium

TV/Radio: Fox, 100.3-FM

Line: Oregon by 25½ (44.5 over/under)

Back in action after their second bye week of the season, the Gophers travel to Oregon for the first time and will face a Ducks team thick in contention for a berth in the College Football Playoff. Oregon is coming off a gritty, 18-16 win at Iowa, while Minnesota edged Michigan State 23-20 in overtime in its last game.

Will the Gophers be competitive in this game?

The question might seem harsh, but the Gophers were not competitive at all in a 42-3 loss at top-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 4 and in a 41-3 thrashing at Iowa three weeks later. Oregon, the defending Big Ten champion, resides in the same neighborhood as the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes. For credibility’s sake, the Gophers must show up for this game.

Lindsey, the Gophers’ redshirt freshman quarterback, has displayed poise throughout the season but will be tested by an Oregon defense that’s allowing 126.1 passing yards per game, the fewest in the nation, and 13.8 points, seventh fewest in the land. To be effective, Lindsey will need the Gophers offensive line to keep him clean.

Will Darius Taylor play?

That’s a key question for the Gophers and their standout running back, who was limited to one carry at Iowa and missed the Michigan State game because of a leg injury. Taylor ranks second on the team with 354 rushing yards on 80 carries, and his 16 receptions for 134 yards are the second most of any Gophers back. When he’s effective, Minnesota’s offense has an added dimension.

Gophers DE Anthony Smith vs. Oregon LT Isaiah World

Smith, whose 8½ sacks are tied for the Big Ten lead and whose 11½ tackles for loss rank second, is the key to Minnesota’s pass rush. He sets the tone for a unit that leads the conference with 32 sacks. World, a 6-foot-8, 315-pound transfer from Nevada, has a solid 72.0 grade from profootballfocus.com.

The versatile Boettcher lines up at several positions for Oregon and leads his team with 72 tackles and has three tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The Gophers offensive line, which has been inconsistent this season, must account for Boettcher and limit his effectiveness.

6.67 | Average points scored by the Gophers in their three road games this season. That lack of productivity won’t cut it against a team as talented as the Ducks.

The Gophers were overmatched in their losses at Ohio State and Iowa and were sloppy in their loss at California. The first order of the day is to compete. If they can take that baby step, then they at least have a base off which to work. The ingredients for an upset include a running game that limits the opponent’s possessions and a defense that forces turnovers. Is this Minnesota team equipped to do that? Likely not.